Captain T. Cook, Commodore of the Cunard Line

T. COOK—(CUNARD : COMMODORE).
From a photograph by Sarony, New York.

Captain T. Cook, the present Commodore of the Cunard Line, is another type of the reserved man who does not familiarize with his passengers. He is never coarse; and will answer a simple question in a simple way. His voice is one of the low, quiet sort, but it has a solidness of sound about it that imparts an emphasis to his words.

He is not one of the big, robust specimens of the mariner. He is a singular little man, who cares nothing for the suaviter in modo, but demands credit for his fortiter in re. He has been on the sea nearly all his life—a period which extends over half a century.

During that time he has impressed many people with the fact that a giant's nerve and courage are not always encompassed in a colossal frame, and that men who may not provoke congeniality sometimes inspire confidence and esteem.

The three chief commanders of the Cunard Line at present were once described thus : a sailor, a social sailor, and a calico captain. It would be unfair to name the author of that definition, for lie is too well known, but it may not be unjust to state that his compendium was somewhat tinctured with prejudice. However that may be, the simple sailor who is put at the head of the list, and is left adjective less, is Captain Cook. It is quite probable, if he Chose his own epitaph, he would not desire any more mention than that one word " sailor."

Not one in a hundred of his passengers possibly remembers Captain Cook as being a pleasant and agreeable gentleman, but no one can be oblivious of the fact that he is a thorough man, or fail to esteem him for being what he seems, one who can be relied upon in an emergency. Emergencies do arise at sea, and then such men are measured at their worth. In his life he has encountered many strange vicissitudes, but those that marked his earlier career are nearly all forgotten now, for he is not the man to talk, and least of all of himself.